Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-02-10

Squire's first wife,
..Have You heard that John refused
to believe it at first % asked Mrs.
Blunt.
'.Yes; he acas little stiff at first; he
never Liked Louise, You know
ut seems to me shouldn't want to
take it on trust rs they've done. /
| should want to see letters in his own
hand. or something confirmatory, not
just her word for it,
''Seems to me it would be a trcmen-
dous cruelty to turn deaf ear to her at
such time and refuse to believe her
story
YES" agreed Mrs Blunt. "sBetter
be cheated to the last than lose the
blessed hope OF TRUTH as some poet
says
1t was few days after these aston
ishing events that Miss Betty lie Breton
returned from vacation at the mount
aims, without having heard Of the dis
aster that had overtaken the Fam
| shawes.
''When I am married." she said, in
the enthusiasm of a first acquaintance
with the mountains, Il shall take my
wedding tour through the hills in a
buggy; it's just enchantment. Any
letter for me, Aunt Ellen? Any
news?"
"News? Oh dear-yes-too much.
| didn't write You because didn't want
to sadden your vacation. And you
and Aleck were always such friends. :"
| ''Aleck!"
Eyes. The Albatross has been lost
at sea, and the Fanshawes are just
heartbroken, and Louise is there with
them; it seems she was engaged to
Aleck privately; and her widows
weeds are very becoming. It's dread
full thing for her; but they say the
Squire has about the same as adopted
her, and that she'll have the lion s
share of Alexis money. She went in
on the Squire's own arm when the
funeral sermon was preached; it was
very touching. Why don't You say
something. Betty? l always thought
you and Aleck were good friends; and
Louise
"What is there to say?" Betty asked.
directly. There was an odd luster in
her eyes, but she was not crying; she
looked petrified.
you might at least say you were
sorry
Sorry? Oh, yes - absently-"
suppose"
why. Betty, haven't you any feel
ing?''
Il don't know. Perhaps not. What
good would it do?'' e;sE,
"Aleck was such a good friend to
you! Do you remember when he used
10 come and help you with your Ger
man? used to think he was little in
love with you, Betty; but it seems l
was mistaken; and for the matter OF
that, it doesn't signify, now that he is
dead. Indeed, it's better for you as it
is; You are spared the sorrow. Why,
Betty. are you sick? Is any thing the
matter?'
Betty had risen with great cry, and
was stretching out tlnavailing arms
into space. '.He is dead-Aleck-an
he loved her, and she has right to her
sorrow; and T.
1t was three months before Betty lie
Breton was able to sit up. The neigh
| bors said she had come home from the
mountains with malaria. and it was
doubtful if she would ever get it out of
her system. Miss lie Breton. her aunt,
wisely said nothing; but when she saw
Louise in her funeral garments driv-
inc by in Squire Fanstawe's carriage,
she wondered if Betty were not far
more miserable. Betty herself Won
dered why she did not die in that bit
ter season of despair. There seemed to
| be nothing 20 detain her here; life had
! Alaci, had died; she could have borne
thar, perhaps, and sorrowed bravely.
and vet have lived on. That would
have been grief enough. to be sure.
| for one heart to bear: but she would
still have possessed the tender assur-
ance of his love to compensate her.
She would not have lost him utterly:
she could have lived on. with the GER
tainty of meeting him unchanged at
last, just as she had existed through
her tedious work-a-days, sure of his
companionship at their close-the one
brightness in all her somber days. the
hours that were never absent from her
thoughts, the hope that had carried
her through all difficulties uncomplain-
ingly. Now there was nothing for her
| to live for or to die for. 1t seemed 10
her that the bloom was stripped from
| the world. She could not reconcile
herself to her changed condition:
nor adjust herself to the be-
lief that Aleck had cared nothing
for her through all the years that
had been to her like heaven on earth
that he had merely been passing the
time. She felt as if the solid earth had
failed beneath her feet, and her life
| ~,,x Lof~~., Iar. IN lroarx- o,,J